Bargain
by ShastenRothe
Summary: Kyle gets more than he bargains for when he agrees to watch Lauren, including being held hostage


Amy groaned as she thundered down the stairs into the kitchen. Of all the days for  
  
Lauren to be sick, it had to be today. The day of the Biggs case. How was she supposed  
  
to decide which parent would get temporary custody of ten year old Shayla and five year  
  
old Jake Biggs when her daughter was upstairs, complaining that she was sick?  
  
" Hey Mom, you wouldn't by chance be able to stay home today with Lauren?  
  
I've got the Biggs case in an hour."  
  
" Sorry Amy. It's urgent that I get to work. Lawrence Hanson got kicked out of  
  
his foster home and I have to find somewhere to place him," Maxine replied as she turned  
  
on the coffee pot.  
  
" I don't know what to do. She's sick; I can't send her to school. Last time I did  
  
that, she really was sick and she wound up getting sick all over the teacher's shoes."  
  
" What about Gillian?" Maxine asked as she shot the coffee pot a death glare,  
  
almost willing it to make coffee.  
  
" Gillian has a job, remember?" Amy said, emphasizing her sister in law's first  
  
name.  
  
" Is this thing on?" Maxine wondered, ignoring Amy's previous comment.  
  
" Aren't you listening to me?" Amy demanded as the kitchen door opened.  
  
" Hey, do you guys have any coffee?" Kyle asked as he stepped into the kitchen.  
  
" Kyle," Amy said slyly. " You wouldn't be off today, would you?"  
  
" Yeah. Why?"  
  
" Wanna stay home with Lauren? She says she's got a sore throat. I've got a huge  
  
case that I can't miss, Maxine has to place a child into the system, and Gillian has a job.  
  
Besides, you're my favorite cousin."  
  
" I'll do it for a cup of coffee," Kyle answered.  
  
" Thanks so much. Would you mind looking at her throat while you're at it? I  
  
didn't have a chance to. Oh and try to give her some Children's Tylenol. It's in the  
  
cupboard."  
  
" Will do."  
  
" I'll try to get out for a bit to come home and check on her. Okay?"  
  
" Yeah. Get to work! We'll be fine," he ordered as both Amy and Maxine  
  
gathered up their things and headed out the door.  
  
An hour or so later, Kyle was sitting in the kitchen, reading the newspaper when  
  
Lauren came down the stairs.  
  
" Hey there sleepyhead."  
  
" Cousin Kyle, what are you doing here?" Lauren asked as she pulled herself onto  
  
a barstool.  
  
" Your mom had a big case this morning and Maxine needed to go to work. I had  
  
the day off so I offered to spend it with my favorite second cousin. Is that all right with  
  
you?"  
  
" Yeah, just as long as you don't make me take that nasty pink crud Mom made  
  
me drink last time I had a sore throat."  
  
" What nasty pink crud?"  
  
" Something that started with a 'P'. I don't remember what it was called."  
  
" Penicillin?"  
  
" Yeah. That's it."  
  
" I don't blame you. Liquid Penicillin is pretty gross. Why don't you take some  
  
Tylenol and let me look at your throat."  
  
" Okay."  
  
" Open up!" he instructed.  
  
" Is this big enough?" Lauren asked in a muffled voice.  
  
" Yeah. Say 'ah'."  
  
" Ahhhhhhhhhhh."  
  
" Okay. You can stop."  
  
" Am I gonna have to take the nasty pink crud?"  
  
" Nope. I've got something else for your sore throat. Go upstairs and get dressed  
  
while I call your mom."  
  
" We'll take an hour recess," announced Amy as she stood up and left her bench  
  
for her office. She couldn't take another minute of Mr. Biggs calling his wife, 'the stupid  
  
bitch'. Besides, she wanted to check up on Lauren. As soon as she entered her chambers,  
  
Amy removed the hot, black robe she was wearing and hung it on a hook. She had just set  
  
down in her leather desk chair when the door opened and her secretary walked in.  
  
" Judge Gray?"  
  
" Yes Andrea?"  
  
" There's a Dr. McCarty on Line 2 for you."  
  
" Thanks Andrea," Amy said as she picked up her phone and punched 2.  
  
" Kyle? What's going on?"  
  
" Hey Amy. I just wanted to call to see if Lauren's allergic to any antibiotics."  
  
" Not that I know of. How did her throat look?"  
  
" She's got strep from what I can tell."  
  
" Thanks so much for staying with her."  
  
" So how's the case going?"  
  
" If I would have stayed in that court another minute listening to Mr. Biggs calling  
  
his wife a stupid bitch I think you would have had to prescribe me some Prozac."  
  
" That bad huh?"  
  
" You don't even know!" Amy exclaimed.  
  
" Trust me. I've had days like that too. You're not the only one."  
  
" Kyle, I've got to go. Please don't give my daughter excessive amounts of  
  
sugar."  
  
" Will do Amy. Talk to you later."  
  
" You too," Amy said as she hung up. 


End file.
